Star Wars: Tem Marr Series Part Three
by Trauwyn Marr
Summary: Tem's death still lingers in Xio's heart and mind, causing her to lose herself and tread in a dark place, but she continues on, hoping the feeling will go, and she will not fall into the darkness. With the help of a new friend, Nex, she is able to go on a


A month had passed since Xio Mara had received the message proclaiming Tem Marr's death. In a fit of rage, she had taken her lightsaber and destroyed the comm console. The transcript of the message flickered and died on the screen, and all that remained was a smoking wreck. She called upon her Jedi training and gone into meditation to regain her calm, but there was still a gaping hole in her heart. She strode emotionlessly through the Jedi Temple to the Jedi Council's chamber. She was surprised to see she wasn't the only Jedi there, when she entered the Council's Chambers. Five other Jedi were there already waiting for her to arrive. Blushing slightly, having kept them waiting, she stepped into an open spot between a female Lorrdian and a muscular, green-skinned Twi'lek. She had caught a glimpse of her old master, Yahra Nal'Tai and a young man, a few years older then herself, by the name of Nex Rartis. Xio had the pleasure of being accompanied by him on several of her missions. He had short blonde hair, a strong determined face and a muscular body, not that Xio noticed much. He was usually in the archives, learning as much as he could on any subject that interested him and he was constantly in argument of how the Force is used. He even went as far as to question the training methods. He had become a rather troublesome Jedi Knight, but he possessed great knowledge of the galaxy around him, and he fought brilliantly with his lightsaber. Other then the Twi'lek and Lorrdian standing on opposite side of here, there was a Canta there. Determined to learn the ways of the Force, he was naturally attuned to it with his deep connections to living organisms from Canaltha and the new world of Luath. He had refused constructing a lightsaber, however, and said he would rely solely on the Force. He towered a good arm length over the tallest being there, and his blue skin reflected the light from the transparisteel windows behind the Council's chairs. "Six Jedi?" The Twi'lek beside her mumbled. "The Council has been informed that several of Coruscant's Senators will be departing for the distant world of Onal. We, also, have been informed that there is a banquet to be held there to persuade support from Coruscant." The Firrereo, Master Boh-Dun, explained to them. "You will all be required to discover, if any, of the underlying agenda of the mercenary group attempting to persuade Coruscant into supplying them with funding." The Sullustan, Master Shin-Ni, added. "What mercenary group are you referring to, Masters?" Nex questioned when they had finished. "The Valcun Mercenaries, I believe." Master Shin-Ni provided. "You may leave as soon as you are ready, but be warned, do not wait too long. The banquet begins in three days. Do not wear your Jedi robes, either." Master Boh-Dun added. "We do not want our presence to be known there." He finished. Xio noticed that the others in the Council were silent, their hoods pulled over their heads, hiding their faces from view. Only now did Xio sense the tension throughout the Council, and how many of them did not approve of this plan. Did the Council have another agenda as to why these six Jedi were being sent to Onal? "May the Force be with you." And they were dismissed.

On the distant planet of Wayland, far from the bright center of the universe, three large cruisers, baring the mark of the Valcun Mercenaries on their hulls, were nestled among the dense, dry brush. Auwna Wenz, promoted to Commander, marched briskly down the corridor of the cruiser _Sundant Down_. Auwna had walked down this empty corridor multiple times in the past, but there was something unsettling about it this time. It was as if the bulkhead was whispering around her. The corridor led to the Admiral's chambers, which was only ever seen by five of the crewmembers of _Sundant_. Auwna was one of them, along with Lieutenant Ruwn Kuad, General Janelle Rugn of the Zentr Squad, Master Mechanic Shten Lufd, and Captain Fukd Qax, a surly Trandoshan who constantly argued with the Admiral on simple matters. Auwna shook her head, the Admiral could be a Wookie, she mused, from the way those two both lose their tempers so easily with each other. It wasn't until they were a few feet away from the doors of the Admiral's chambers that the small, leather-winged reptilian, perched in an iron cage, began to slam itself furiously against the bars and cawed loudly. Auwna shivered. Did the small Qom Qae feel the odd sensations in the air as well? She tried her best to calm it down before entering the Admiral's chambers, but it was in vain. It refused to stop its panicking. She strode in, after opening the door, and stood a dozen steps away from the silhouetted human outline, standing in front of a wide viewport. His hair was a light brown, lighter then it had been, Auwna realized. He resembled most of the other Admirals. Average height, average build, even his posture was the same. He had his hands behind his back, as he stared out. The dim light that shone through reflected off his green eyes, which were as dull as their surroundings. Auwna stiffened, stood at attention, saluted and waited silently for the Admiral to acknowledge her. "Spare me the formalities, Auwna. We've known each other too long for that." He turned slowly to face her; his voice was hoarse, but cleared quickly. "Tell me what you came to tell me." He said bluntly. Auwna nodded and eased. "High Commander Gaul wants you to take _Sundant_,_ Firestorm_, and _Solar_ to Onal for some fancy banquet he's holding. 'I want to show off the might of the Valcun's, Commander,' He told me. 'That includes ship and men. I expect my finest Admiral to be there!' " Auwna mimicked the voice of the High Commander. This brought a smile to the Admiral's serious expression. "Are we ready for departure?" He asked, stifling his laughter with an amused, tight-lipped smile. "At your command, Admiral." Auwna replied, smiling as well. "Oh, and this little fellow," Auwna said quickly, remembering the, now silent, Qom Qae in the cage by her side, "He was clinging to _Sundant_'s hull." She said, hoisting the cage up to eye level. "And?" The Admiral said as he took the cage and examining the lizard inside, which was regarding him with its head titled to one side. "They want you to deal with it." Auwna said, smirking at having the burden finally taken off her hands. "Huh…" He said contemplatively. "Prepare for lift off, Auwna. We don't want to be late for the ball." He said with a grin.

The Jedi's shuttle roared past the three massive capital ships that had taken orbit around Onal, and kept their luxury cruiser from touching down. To keep the fact that they were Jedi hidden, they were given elaborate dress clothes. Xio was wearing a light blue dress, which was a bit too revealing to her. She got the pleasure of seeing Master Yahra struggle with her own gown, which sparkled with each movement. Nex was pulling at his simple, yet stylish, suit. It was obviously form fitting, and he wasn't use to such things, nearly tearing the arm off of the blazer. The other three Jedi were aboard another shuttle and the politicians were also aboard separate shuttles. Xio once again tugged irritably at her dress, but it only revealed more of what she didn't want showing and settled for somewhere in between. A strong presence brushed her mind and then ceased. She straightened, recognizing that feeling in the Force. It either belonged to the decease Tem Marr, or it was a sign of danger. She turned and looked out the small viewport, but there appeared to be no danger, and certainly Tem was dead. He would've contacted her otherwise, wouldn't he have? She shook the thoughts from her head and looked down at the mucus green planet bellow. Xio grimaced slightly and felt nauseated just staring at the planet. She turned away, to see Nex's grinning face. "Doesn't look pleasant, does it?" He said, smiling when she nodded. "It isn't that bad down there. It's a very nice world. The vegetation is oddly colored though. Keep attuned to the Force, Master Mara, as some of those plants may be dangerous." He said solemnly. "You've been to Onal before?" Xio asked, looking quizzically at the older Jedi. "Once or twice." He said, shrugging his square shoulders. "As pleasant a trip as the appearance of the planet, I'm afraid." He said, turning to face her and smiled. "I hear you have been to some interesting worlds yourself." His smile was comforting, welcoming, and sweet. Xio flushed and turned to hide her face. "No where interesting, I'm afraid." She said, putting a hand up to her face to attempt to mask her embarrassment. She tried to regain her composure; she couldn't be distracted tonight.

Ruwn Kuad strode through the empty corridor that Auwna had just been through two days prior. As he approached the opened door of the Admiral's chambers, he instinctively reached for his blaster. When he heard the Admiral's voice echo out to him, he eased and began walking. "Well, I'm calling you Weezet for short. Alright?" He could hear the Admiral's voice more clearly now. There was a brief flutter of wings and screeching hisses. "I didn't say I was going to replace your name! It's what _I'm_ going to call you! I'll introduce you to everyone as Rider of Winds." There was a chirping and then they both fell silent. Ruwn stepped in and called to the Admiral. "Your ship is ready, sir. We're going to launch in about five minutes." He reported. "Thank you, Ruwn. Come, Weezet." The Admiral rose, the Qom Qae jumping onto his outstretched arm and climbing up to his shoulder. "Thank you for coming, again, Ruwn. I don't want to be stuck down there by myself with politicians." He said as he walked by the Zabrak. "No trouble at all, sir." Ruwn replied stiffly. "You don't have to call me 'sir' when we're in private, Ruwn. You and Auwna are too duty-bound. I think you two need a vacation, together." The Admiral said, with a smile. "That would be nice." Ruwn said, looking down at his feet. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go. It'll take us five minutes to get to the shuttle, they'll be ready before we are!" Weezet hissed and cawed, spreading his wings wide. The Admiral laughed, but Ruwn remained clue less to the joke shared.

Xio held a long glass firmly in her hands. She was starting to get bored, tired of listening to the egotistical the general who thought himself a galactic hero. _His ego could fill a star cruiser's hangar_, Xio thought bitterly. A new group of people arrived, two Iridonians, a towering, gray-furred Wookie and a small human admiral. Xio's breath left her when she saw whom it was. "Excuse me a moment please." She interrupted the general, smiled politely and turned towards the new arrivals. Nex was already on his way to him, so Xio had to quicken her paces so she could get to the admiral before him. It was close, but both Jedi arrived in front of them at the same time, bumping shoulders as they stopped arm length away from the admiral. The admiral grinned broadly. "Xio!" He shouted in delight. "Tem Marr." She said less enthusiastically. "I thought you were dead." She replied coolly. "You have my wingmates to thank for rescuing my sorry butt." Tem said, his grin fading. "Speaking of which. I'd like to introduce Auwna Wenz, Ruwn Kuad, Shten Lufd and my newest friend, Rider of Winds." Tem gestured to the Iridonians, Wookie, and then the Qom Qae resting on his shoulder. She nodded her head to them, and noticed Nex was still standing beside her. "This is Nex Rartis." Xio introduced the man standing next to her. Tem cast a wary look over him that was a little hostile, but he shook hands with him. "We have a lot to talk about, Tem." Xio said harshly. Tem visibly winced. "Yes, a lot." Tem said, mumbling slightly. Tem nodded his head to Nex, then turned to face the others. "Go, mingle, have fun." Tem ordered. Weezet cooed from his shoulder. "You can go sit in the rafters or something." Tem said, trying to cast a glance at the Qom Qae, but couldn't turn his head enough. The lizard took flight and disappeared above. Nex slipped back into the crowd and vanished to find another high-ranking officer to interrogate casually. "Why didn't you contact me?" Xio snapped at Tem. "With what? Your comm signal never picked up!" Tem shot back. "What was I suppose to do? Send a courier? I've been locked in battle for a month now! I barely got away from it at all last week!" Tem shouted at her. They stood glaring fiercely for a moment at each other. "Listen, I wanted to reach you, but I couldn't. Either forgive me or don't, but know that I still love you." Tem said softly and turned away, disappearing in the sea of people. Xio filtered her way through the crowd and leaned against a wall. Placing her hands over her face, she sobbed gently, unheard by the hundreds of conversations and music going on in the banquet hall.

Ten minutes had passed before Nex had come to Xio, taking her in his arms and embracing her in a friendly hug. "Xio, is something wrong?" He didn't see his face, but she could imagine the concern on it, it was evident in his tone. She buried her face in his chest. "I… I don't know how to explain it." Xio's voice was muffled, but Nex heard clearly enough. "Does it have something to do with that admiral? Tem Marr, was it? I could feel your anger from across the room." He said gently, his words soothing. "He… he meant something to me, a long time ago. He left me at that time, and I haven't seen him since. He was supposedly killed in a mission, but he's alive." Xio shook her head sadly. "You would prefer he was dead?" Nex asked, slightly confused by what Xio was trying to say. "No. I'm happy he's alive, but he seems different, changed. He's not the Tem Marr I knew." Xio tried to explain. "Has he changed? Or has he just hardened on the surface?" Nex smiled slightly. "Search your feelings. Does he radiate the same aura that he had when you first met him, or has it been changed as well? Keep in mind, that it may be tinted, as he has fought in many battles. He has had the blood of another being washed upon his soul." Nex said thoughtfully, his words a calm whispering wind to Xio. She wasn't as upset anymore, relaxed by the older Jedi's words. "Thank you, Nex. Thank you." Xio said, smiling up at the Jedi. "Come on, let's go and get you cleaned up. You don't want to look like you've been crying now, do you? Especially in front of these people." Nex said with a smile and led Xio to the Refresher to get cleaned up.

Tem shouldered his way through the crowds, nearly toppling over the small furry bipedal in front of him. "Excuse me." Tem said distractedly, and continued forward. "Tem Marr? My, my, haven't you grown up." The familiar voice of Yahra Nal'Tai beckoned. He turned slowly and smiled down at the Chadra-Fan. "Only on the outside, Miss Nal'Tai." Tem responded, while kneeling down. "It is good to see you again, Tem. Look how long your hair is!" She reached out a furry hand and touched it. "You'll have to start leaning how to clean it if you're going to be coming to social events like this." Tem smiled at her and embraced the rodent-like being in a hug. "I'll have to learn from one of the best groomed Jedi Masters I know." Yahra waved a hand at him. "Please, I am not as well groomed as I would like." She squeaked with laughter. "So you are an admiral now? You must have performed some mighty feats to obtain that status." Tem waved a dismissive hand. "Hardly. I think they were just impressed with the tricks I pulled when flying a starfighter." He said, with a smile. "Are your ships ground-level?" Yahra asked, stepping over to the transparisteel windows that surrounded the banquet hall. "No, my ships are in orbit. The three big cruisers up there." Tem pointed with his finger. "_Sundant Down_ is my flagship. _Omega Firestorm_ and _Solar Ray_ are support vessels. The finest in the fleet." Tem murmured the last part. Yahra nodded thoughtfully. "I see." The three ships could be seen clearly from here. _Sundant_ was the largest of the three, shaped like a smooth rectangle with a chunk cut out of it and enormous ion drives sticking out of the back. There was an oval bulge on top of it, where his quarters and the bridge were located. _Omega Firestorm _and _Solar Rays_ were sister ships. They were looked like spoons with thorns, Tem realized on more then one occasion. They had rounded head, connected to a long body, which ended in a triangular backside, where the ion drives were housed. Two long 'thorns' reached downwards with pointed ends were located there. Two shorter thorns were by the 'neck' of the ship, where the head connected with the rest of the ship. The turbolasers that were visible across their hulls were creatively arranged to look like spikes jutting down the 'spine' of the ship. Many other turbolasers were hidden underneath hull plating waiting for their time to be used. "They are fine vessels. Our shuttle passed them on our way down. Very impressive, indeed." She smiled up at him. "You know, you and Xio both share the same troubled look." She said with amusement. "Or is that a human thing? She asked, still amused. Tem smiled, his eyes went back to the three cruisers that were reestablishing a higher orbit, and Tem knew why. They couldn't fight in atmosphere. "It's probably a human thing. Some humans are better at hiding it then others though." Tem shrugged. "I just have a bad feeling about all of this." Yahra patted his arm. "Perhaps it's the lack of excitement that usually entails during combat." She offered helpfully, but Tem still couldn't understand why the ships were pulling away into higher orbit. They would've commed him if they were under attack. The music changed and the dance floor suddenly filled with dancing couples. Tem got out of the way, not in the mood to dance, and made his way to the Head Table where a few other officers were seated. He was cut off by a female Firrereo, she wore the exactly same outwit she had worn when they had first met and Tem could still see the singe marks. "Don't have much of a wardrobe, do you, Myta?" She snorted. "When you live in a ship no bigger then a small freighter, you tend to not have much of a wardrobe. More important things occupy the storage bins." She said icily. "Like my power cells you keep stealing from me?" Tem retorted. "Exactly." She smirked. "I'm looking for a dance partner, care to join me?" Tem felt the barrel of a hide-away blaster jab his arm slightly. "I don't have much of a choice do I?" Tem said, looking down at her arm. "Not really, no. Besides, I want to see you dance." With a sigh of reluctance, Tem allowed himself to be dragged onto the dance floor. "I can't dance you know." He said as they made their way through the crowd. "Then follow my lead." She replied curtly. With another sigh, Tem took her hand in his and tried to keep up with her.

Xio and Nex came back into the banquet hall; most were dancing while others were engaged in discussions. Xio stood on her the tips of her toes, trying to look for Tem over the crowd, but she couldn't find him. She wanted to go and apologize to him for her behavior. As if as the very thought entered her head, the dancing couples split down the middle and standing at the core, was Tem dancing with a female Firrereo. Nex quickly grabbed her upper arm and restrained her. She realized that she was grabbing at her lightsaber hilt, which was strap to her leg. "I'm sure there's an explanation for this. She could be a politician and Tem is just being polite. Perhaps he is extracting information as we are." Nex said, trying to keep Xio's temper from flaring and letting her strike out in anger. _He's probably right_, Xio thought to herself. "Of course I am." He smiled at her. Xio blushed and turned her face away from him. _So much for keeping my thoughts to myself,_ Xio scolded herself. "Don't worry, I'll stay out of your mind." Nex said cheerfully. "I was only in there for a minute, I swear." He held up his hands in defense. "I didn't even go that deep!" He smiled when Xio started laughing. "Now, since you're in need of a dancing partner, would you care to have this dance with me?" Nex bowed slightly at the waist, and offered his arm to her. "Certainly, Master Rartis." She said, and took his arm.

"You and that Jedi were awfully steamed with each other. Care to explain?" Myta was saying as they danced. "Very, _very_, good friend of mine. We just haven't seen each other in over a year." Tem said, his tone quickly jumping to annoyed status faster then a shield would drop under heavy bombardment. Myta frowned in thought. "She doesn't strike me as the kind you'd be interested in. Mainly her being a Jedi and all." Myta said. Tem was glowering at her now. "And what _kind_ of woman do you think I'd be interested in?" Tem snarled slightly. "Well," Myta began, " Someone who was strong, self-sufficient, with knowledge in the battlefield. Someone you can see yourself fighting beside, and can rely on to help you through the thick battles that you get yourself into. Someone who can survive in even the bleakest of situations. Someone like… me." Tem stumbled over his own feet and they collided with another dancing couple. "You hardly even know me!" Tem scolded when they had gotten back into step. "I know more then you think. I've been shadowing you ever since the Ejak incident." Myta said, watching him for any sign of shock or surprise. It didn't come. His face was impassive and locked in a scowl. "Prove it." He growled between his teeth. "You flew along side Auwna Wenz, a Zabrak officer aboard the _Nova Storm_, and a Dug by the name of Multabu. Multabu was stupid enough to take on a slaved cruiser and was blown to bits, despite you and the Zabrak providing a distraction. You, in turn, destroyed the explosive filled frigate and barely made it out alive, judging from the comm messages I was picking up." Myta said. Tem's scowl turned into a menacing glare. "The thought never crossed your mind to help?" He bit out. "Multabu might have _lived_ had you supported us!" He shouted at her. Several heads turned to look at him, but Myta ignored them. Tem, apparently, did likewise and left, shouldering his way through the crowd to become lost in the sea of people. Myta stood dumbfounded in the center of a ring of people looking at her. Not use to the attention, she also forced her way out, feeling a little guilty about what she had just said.

Tem felt as if any direction he turned, he would hear bad news and be even more hurt then he was now. He searched desperately for the bar, but couldn't find it. "The only good time I need a drink, and AH!" He shouted, clawing at his temples. He didn't feel his feet fall out from under him, and he didn't fill the blow from when he hit the floor. The vision was clear though. Armor-clad troops, and lots of them. His eyes flared open, and he saw the faces of dozens of people. A furry paw hefted him to his feet and whuffled softly. "No! Get your bowcaster! Everyone to arms!" Tem shouted to any of the Valcun Mercenaries who would listen. "Get your weapons and prepare for combat!" Tem turned to the massive Wookie with pleading eyes. "Shten, get everyone back. Knock over tables, get people behind them, get some people cover!" Tem withdrew his own blaster, as the Wookie stalked off, herding people away from the many entrances. He could hear the whispers behind him, people wondering what was going on. High Commander Gaul could be heard telling Tem to stop panicking, to put away his weapon and leave this instant, but he ignored the Gotal. All at once, three small explosions blew away the doors to the three main entrances. Lightsabers snap-hissed to life and hundreds of blasters went off. Energy bolts were flying every which way, and howls of pain rang out in just as many directions. "The High Commander is down!" He heard someone shout from behind him. Sparing a glance, he saw the twitching masses of Gaul and his wife, Venereska, on the floor. "Droids!" Tem shouted. "Jedi! Break through the transparisteel windows and start evacuating these people!" Tem was regretting attempting to take command. The second he had turned back to the fight, a shot tore through his shoulder, and he fell into a heap on the floor. The darkness was welcoming though, and Tem floated, suspended in time, hearing the muffled shots and screams still raging in the world he was leaving.

Two Jedi fell, just as Tem did, clutching their shoulders in pain. Xio was glad not to be one of them, but continued reflecting bolts back at the attacking forces. Nex had gone to do as Tem ordered, agreeing that it was the best course of action to take. Several robed figures marched in, their faces hidden, except their mouths, from view. Xio was reminded of the Miraluka, but these beings were not Force-sensitive. They carried heavy repeating blasters, and let loose wave after wave of energy bolts into the attacking forces with ease. Four other Miraluka look-a-likes formed up behind the forward attacking lines of their brethren, pulling proton torpedo launchers over their shoulders and firing one each into the ceilings above the openings. Rubble rained down and blocked off the droids from pressing forward. Two were standing over Tem's crumbled body, seeming to be the only casualty that could survive, but even Tem's case seemed grim. Xio had no time to go over and check on him, she was busy helping politicians she was sent to protect to the landing pad where there shuttles waited. It wasn't until one of the politicians shouted out, that Xio noticed the space battle raging overhead.

"There's too many of them!" Blue One shouted as his ship was engulfed in laser fire, and blown to pieces. "Sundant Home, we're taking heavy casualties! We can't hold them!" Orange Four screamed, her own ship being hounded by eight Cardan V-ships, nicknamed Vipers, for their speed, deadly energy salvo strikes and V-shape. Janelle listened in despair as more fighters vanished into explosions. She was only a general of ground forces! How was she supposed to take command of this ship? The tactical data made no sense to her, and every time she thought she had moved the fleet into a victorious position, they were pummeled from the opposite direction. The whole thing gave her a headache, and she was agreeing with the grumbling officers that they need Tem back at the bridge. Him and Auwna were the tactical geniuses, not her! _Sundant_ lurched to one side, and she clung to a terminal with all four of her arms. "Oh my." Was all she could say.

"What do you make of this one, Chief?" A brown-clad Hushar asked Curdo Upiw, Chief of the Hushar on Onal. "He'll need his own healing facilities, but I can slow the bleeding and begin muscle regrowth." Curdo told his assistant. His voice was rough, and dangerous, as were most Hushar's voices. They struggled to prove their worth to the galaxy, because they had been cast aside for the genetic blindness. Their eyes possessed the capability to see, but due to their complicated genetic structure, a chemical imbalance made them blind. _Damned to a life of the blind and unworthy,_ Curdo snarled in his mind. "Pass me my pack, and I'll start to work. Have the rest of the men clean up what ever is left of the droids and then salvage what you can." He ordered. "Yes, sir." The air currents changed as the assistant saluted and walked off. No matter how much he hated those who mocked his species, he couldn't leave any of their species when there was still a flicker of hope to revive a fallen warrior. However, it didn't mean that if they were to cross paths again, he would not treat this human with any respect. With a sigh, he picked up his bag, dropped it roughly onto the fallen warrior's stomach roughly and pulled out some stimulants and tissue regrowth serums. This young human was in for a painful trip through tissue regrowth outside of a bacta tank. Curdo couldn't help but smile thinly at the thought. So he wasn't compassionate! How else should he treat a member of a species who mocked the abilities of the blind Hushars? The conscience in the back of his head told him he should be a little more open-minded about such things, but it was easy enough to ignore that same voice. It didn't really matter to Curdo, he was just glad he could 'help' this poor individual.

_It was dark, very dark. Taru Tyenn was there, so was Cuun. Cuun was the only one to speak this time; Taru remained silent, with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Leave the ways of war, and become a Jedi. Or do not turn from war. It is your choice. You must become a Jedi, however. Be with the one you love, Xio Mara. You yearn for her, and it will help you in your training." He said wearisomely. "How? Isn't love forbidden from a Jedi?" Tem asked, giving a questioning look to the Sith before him. "No, no. Of course not." Cuun said quickly. "How can I trust you?" Tem retorted. "I blocked the voices didn't I?" Cuun shot back. Tem narrowed his eyes. "I am to be a Jedi?" Cuun nodded slowly. "I have seen it." Before another word could be uttered, a white light flared to life and everything vanished._

"Thank you!" Janelle cried out and clung to Auwna Wenz when she marched onto the bridge. "Where's Admiral Marr?" A deck officer called out. "Shot in battle, status unknown. Now let's send these Cardans back to where they came." Auwna said critically. "I am dismissed then?" Janelle asked, unraveling her arms from around the Iridonian's body. "Yes, you can retire now, if you like." Auwna said, her voice full of authority. She was now the admiral, unless Tem lived. Janelle nodded, and quickly left the bridge. "No need to disrupt the Commander." She murmured to herself as she adjusted her uniform with her lower arms.

Ever since Auwna had taken command of the fleet, the tide of the battle had turned. Green squadron, blue squadron and orange squadron were now preying on the Vipers with deadly precision. The pilots knew it was Auwna back in command by two reasons; She had directly spoken on the open comm, and the attacking routine was dull and exact. Tem was more creative when maneuvering the ships, whereas Auwna was more technical and precise. Rather dull, but right now, after losing half of their starfighters and _Firestorm_ on the verge of destruction, it didn't matter. "Shields at fourteen percent, Orange Leader. I need backup!" Orange Two cried out. "Orange Six, Orange Eight, go and back Orange Two! Orange Four, follow me through delta-niner-four." Clicks over the comm acknowledged the orders and the two ships peeled off to aid their comrade, while another ship pulled up alongside Orange Leader. "We have them on the run!" She reported to the other squadrons. Cheers and yips filled her cockpit as she came around _Sundant_'s port and opened fire on more swarming Vipers.

The four Cardan ships were taking more and more hits. _Sundant_ and _Solar_ had longer-range turbolasers and we keeping them from coming any closer, while advancing on them to keep them away. Explosions blossomed across their hulls, and they slowly turned to retreat, their Viper ships racing to dock with their respective ships. "The battle is won! Cease fire." Auwna said. "Call the ships back." She sagged into a vacant seat at a terminal. She would've chased those Cardans and destroyed each and every one of their ships, but she knew Tem wouldn't approve. Besides, _Firestorm_ was barely holding together and they needed to replenish their wasted energy cells. "Tell _Firestorm_ to start landing. _Solar_ is to escort it down, and we'll watch their backs to make sure those Cardans don't attack us while we're running." Auwna mumbled wearily to a communications officer. "And have the medics ready the bacta tanks. There was a lot of casualties down there." Auwna said, gesturing towards the mucus colored world. "Yes, ma'am."

Tem jolted upright. The light was blinding, and he quickly squeezed his eyes shut. "I _have_ to stop doing that!" Tem scolded himself. His eyes readjusted to the light and he looked around at the familiar surroundings of _Sundant_'s MedCenter. It was vaguely familiar to the one he had been in on Coruscant in the Jedi Temple, but Xio was not asleep in the chair at the opposite wall this time. His shoulder burned in pain, and was heavily bandaged. A new shock of pain would rocket through his system if he attempted to move it too much, so he made himself a makeshift sling from the bed sheets. That was also a painful process and the burning sensation remained even after he had finished. His blazer was missing, and he was in the simple white shirt, burned where the blaster shot had ripped through his shoulder. His trousers were stained with dust, sweat and oil, and part of the leg was torn. He didn't really matter about his appearance, though. He was more worried about what had happened that they were caught off-guard and nearly all destroyed in the process. Another question that had cropped up in Tem's mind was who had come to their rescue? Auwna, Ruwn, Shten, and half of the banquet hall were decent enough fighters, but he knew they could not have fended off the droids _and_ helped evacuate everyone without some assistance, not even with the Jedi there. A tinge of pain ripped through his arm again, and he was brought out of his thinking. It was the first time he realized the smell of burning metal and circuitry. "My ship! What did they do to my ship?" Tem shouted to walls. Grinding his teeth, he strode out into the corridor and headed for the bridge.

One hundred people of the five hundred that had occupied the banquet hall were dead. Most were Valcun high-ranks, grown fat from the marginal authority they had, who couldn't handle the combat as they had in years prior. Auwna had made it away to the _Sundant_ to lead space forces, Ruwn led grown forces best to his ability and was shot, missing and presumed dead. Shten was, as some described, a towering threat to any whom got in his way. His mighty Wookie strength was used to rip the arms and heads off droids, and any other being stupid enough to get close to the enraged Wookie. Weezet was also lost, having followed Ruwn on his way out. The banquet hall was barely standing on it's foundation and clearing crews were held back due to the danger the unstable building provoked. A few more Jedi returned to assist in clearing debris and looking for bodies, or survivors, but even their efforts were greatly restrained. Auwna was trying; best she could, to make sense of all the nonsense that was going on. There was a cracking sound, and a part of the ceiling fell in. Dust clouds blew out at everyone gathered around the building, and they fell into coughing fits from the dust. "Back away!" Auwna shouted between coughs of her own. Her eyes burned and she was desperately trying to find her way out of the giant dust clouds. She stumbled out into fresh air, and let herself cough until her lungs cleared. "Not bad, Commander." Tem's voice called to her. Auwna looked up and rubbed at her tear-filled eyes. He was wearing a rebreather, and his limp arm slung across his chest. "What are you doing out here?" She said, her voice was gruff after her coughing fit. "I came to check on my second-in-command, of course." Tem said, his voice hissing through the rebreather. "Things," She coughed again, "Are just fine." She finished. "Which is why you're kneeling over, trying to catch your breath and there's still bodies in that building?" Tem said teasingly. "Don't worry, Auwna. I'll take care of things from here." He said, removing the rebreather and helping Auwna up. "You need to find Ruwn." She whispered. "I will, I promise." Tem said, looking Auwna in the eyes, then turned and walked down towards the crumbling structure.

Tem strode up to the crumbling building and was stopped by a green-robed Hushar. "Where do you think you're going human?" Tem cocked an eyebrow at the harsh-sounding Hushar. "I'm going in there, obviously." Tem said. "No, you aren't." The Hushar spat back. "Try and stop me." Several of the Hushar around them turned and aimed their weapons at him. The Hushar's mouth twisted into a vicious smile. "We're not letting you in, human. Just like we aren't letting anyone _else_ in." He snarled at him. "And what gives you so much authority?" Tem shouted back. The Hushars around them cocked their repeating blasters, and Tem laughed nervously. "Oh, right." An awkward silence fell over them, but was soon broken by a crashing sound as a block of duracrete smashed into the ground near them. "Get down you fool!" The green-robed Hushar growled at him, but Tem remained standing. All the other Hushar had scattered or had dived to the ground away from the crash zone; their weapons lay beside them. A grin formed on the young man's face. "Thanks for the warning." Tem shouted, and snatched one of the heavy repeating blasters, ducking into the dust cloud. The Hushar's curses followed after him, even over the deafening sound of duracrete smashing on duracrete. _I could say the same about you_, Tem thought with a bitter sneer to where he had just been. Nothing was going to stop him from doing this. A pile of rubble fell in front of him, and he slowly made his way over it. This was going to be harder then he thought.

"Damn that human!" Curdo said, as he picked himself off from the ground. "Get two Jedi, we're going in after him!" Curdo snarled at the nearest officer. "Yes, sir, Chief." He could hear the rustling of his robes as he ran off to get the Jedi. "I need four of you to come with me." He turned to the seven Hushars standing behind him. Their breathing was irregular, the adrenaline withdrawing probably, and that was the only way he could tell them apart right now. His mind was buzzing with commands, telling him to do one thing, then a completely different thing. He couldn't focus. "I'm with you, Chief." He heard a female say, Qua from the sounds of it. "Me too, Chief." A male said. Two more males volunteered and when the officer returned with the Jedi, they went in, slinging their weapons into a ready position. "We'll make our own paths and blast any dangerous spots we have to cross. It'll lower the chances of us getting hurt or buried in here." Curdo ordered. "Jedi, can you watch our backs by making sure no debris falls on us?" There was a ruffle of robes. "Certainly, Chief Upiw." Curdo nodded. "Good, then let's go. I don't trust that human to be able to take care of himself."

Tem stumbled into a room that was still stable, coughing the entire way into it. He had found several bodies and was dragging them around with him. He was overwhelmed with happiness to find the room where he could rest for a few seconds. The whole structure was pretty much caving in on itself and Tem only had to breathe to disrupt some part of the foundation. His good arm was covered in blood from the bodies and from a gash that had opened up after a shard of transparisteel ripped through his flesh. Dust covered his face, and he could feel it. But if he wiped it away, he would only get blood there. Things were not looking good. Thankfully, he could leave the bodies here and come back for them later. The room looked sturdy enough and wouldn't start crashing down, so it was perfect as far as Tem was concerned. He still had to find Ruwn, but his hope of finding him alive was vanishing quickly. _Right now_, Tem thought, _I'll just retrieve as many bodies as I can._

Curdo cautiously crept through the banquet hall. His hearing picked up every groan in the rafters, every crack in the duracrete and every heartbeat of everyone around him. "This way." Curdo whispered and motioned with his hand. They went down a charred corridor; the battle had obviously gone much deeper then he had first thought. It was obvious that the corridor was charred because of the smell of smoke, where numerous energy bolts had impacted. There were several cracks and Curdo cocked his head sideways to hear better. He nodded thoughtfully and gestured to the ceiling. "Open fire." The clunking sound of their blasters knocking together could be heard as they aimed at the ceiling. They shot mercilessly into the ceiling, bringing it down in front of them. The dust washed over them, and Curdo could hear the Jedi cover their faces. The Hushars remained motionless until the dust settled, and then Curdo gave the hand signal to move forward. "Wait." The Jedi said, voice low like a predator waiting for its prey. "I sense it, as well." A female Jedi said. "But where?" The male asked. "Chief, I smell rotting flesh." One of the Hushars said. Curdo sniffed the air. "I smell it too." He turned to face the Jedi. "If you're sensing some dead bodies, we can take you to them." The air current changed slightly as the Jedi closed his eyes. There was a silent wet slurping sound, the sound of the Jedi's lips separating into a grin. "Yes, take us to the bodies."

Tem crinkled his nose in disgust. The stench of rotting corpses was overwhelming. "Eck." He grumbled as he walked. Something splattered underneath of his foot and he jumped three feet into the air. "What the hell was that! Oh Hutt slime! It's all over my boot!" Tem complained, his blaster at the ready but there was no threat. He grumbled as he wiped his boot against a pile of rubble and looked for a clean place to grab the still 'fresh' corpse. He had found eight bodies and had dragged each and every one of them to the stable room he had found. The further he got, the more bodies he found. Though, some had been buried under rubble. They were lost until droids could get them out, or Tem might have accidentally ripped one of their arms or legs out. Tem wasn't exactly fond of the idea of walking around with a severed arm anyway. His wound was beginning to catch up with him, though. His arm was completely drenched in blood, and showed no signs of stopping. He was becoming light-headed and his head spun faster with each step. The body he was pulling along seemed to weigh hundreds of thousands of pounds and his vision blurred. Tem fell to his knees, letting go of the body he was dragging. With a grunt, he fell forwards and sprawled out across the rubble, his blood seeping into all the cracks underneath him.

"Stand away from the door!" Curdo shouted through the thick durasteel doors that led into a relatively sturdy room. Curdo could tell because it made no sound of weakened materials, but it didn't hurt to be safe. "Use plasma torches to get through the door, make it quick, any survivors will be low on oxygen in there." Curdo ordered and two plasma torch wielding Hushars. "Back, Jedi. We don't want to get in their way." It took only a matter of moments to break open the door. The Hushars had used their superior hearing to find weak points in the door and exploit them. The door slid open with ease and a panting Zabrak was huddled in a corner with some other fragrant smelling being. Curdo made his way into the room and offered a hand to the Zabrak. "Come on, we have to get out of the building before it collapses." Curdo growled. "You're lucky to be alive, soldier." The Zabrak's confusion could be felt through the twitching muscles in his hand as he pulled himself to his feet, still clutching the small being in his other arm. "How can you…?" He trailed off. "Not now. We leave first; maybe I'll explain the ways of the Hushars. Maybe, Zabrak, maybe." Curdo said and hauled the Zabrak through the opening. "What about the bodies?" He asked as he was dragged along. "The other Hushars will gather them and haul them out with us." Curdo explained. "Oh, alright." He said thoughtfully.

Ruwn allowed himself to be dragged along. Weezet squealed in his arms and Ruwn released him from his grip. The Qom Qae perched himself on Ruwn's shoulder and tried to hold on without digging his sharp talons into Ruwn's shoulder. He was still confused about how the Hushars were able to tell so much about the world around them, yet were as blind as an infant Hutt. Ruwn had never seen such a thing throughout his travels around the galaxy. "Master, wait!" The female Jedi shouted suddenly. Ruwn turned his head to see the two Jedi dashing off down a separate corridor and we causing the walls around them to crumble. "Sithspit!" The green-robed Hushar hissed sharply. "Let's go, we need those Jedi to get out of here all in one piece." He ordered. Now, following the lead of the Jedi, Ruwn was becoming even more confused as they ran. _Why can't things be simpler!_ Ruwn thought to himself painfully as his arm was jerked to make him turn down another corridor. "He's still alive, Padawan, but barely." He could hear the Jedi talking now. "Practice your new healing techniques on him, and perhaps he will survive." The male Jedi was saying, gesturing for the female Padawan to come closer. Ruwn looked over the broad shoulders of the green-clad Hushar, and gasped softly. Tem was laying in a heap on the floor, bleeding severely from a deep gash in his arm and out cold in a puddle of his own blood. "Oh no." Ruwn murmured softly. Weezet expressed his sorrow with a soft moan. _Tem's been through worse, he'll get through this, I know he will!_ Ruwn thought to himself desperately. Things looked grim, though. Maybe this was something Tem _couldn't_ get through.

Curdo watched the two Jedi work over the young human who had run in, despite what Curdo had said. _We should just leave him here,_ Curdo thought bitterly; _he deserves this for coming here._ There was a change in air current, and Curdo spun around. "Did anyone else feel that?" He asked the other Hushar. "Feel what?" The Zabrak asked. "Shut up!" Curdo hissed. There was a soft whistling sound from a nearby wall. Curdo slowly moved towards it and found a crack in the duracrete wall. "We can get out through here." Curdo mumbled. "Chief, I smell more burned flesh. Should we investigate?" One of the females asked. He nodded. "Retrieve the bodies, and we'll get out through here." Curdo turned to the Zabrak. "Can you handle this?" He shoved a heavy repeating blaster rifle into the Zabrak's hands. "I, uh, yes, I can." He stammered. "The setting is on low, you can blast through this wall without bringing the rest of the building in around us." The Zabrak nodded and set himself up, Curdo's lips curling into a smile. The Zabrak couldn't hold the blaster right, but it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't hurt anyone with the power set so low. Curdo moved back to the Jedi. "I say we leave him here." He snarled softly. "We are not leaving him, Hushar." The male Jedi said sternly. "He willingly came in here, I warned him, but he came anyway." Curdo grumbled. "He would save you, if you were in his situation." The female Jedi said. "I highly doubt that." Curdo mumbled softly. The Jedi slowly turned the body over. The air was filled with new scents. "This is the kid who was shot in the shoulder that I injected muscle regrowths into." Curdo muttered breathlessly. He quickly composed himself again and snarled bitterly at the lifeless body. "I should have just left him, and I wouldn't have had to deal with this kid." Bits of pebbles and dust swept over them as the Zabrak blasted through the wall. Cool air from the outside ripped away the scent of dust and decay. It was refreshing for Curdo after being in here for nearly two hours, breathing in nothing but dust. "Pick him up, and haul him out." Curdo bit out to the Jedi and headed for the hole in the wall, snatching the blaster away from the Zabrak angrily.

Tem opened his eyes slowly and all he saw was white. "I should take better care of myself." He grumbled to himself. His head was still spinning, and it didn't take a Givin to know he was back aboard _Sundant_'s MedCenter. The gash on his arm was gone, and he stunk of bacta. Crinkling his nose in disgust he looked around for the nearest Refresher. He had been completely changed this time, wearing a simple white tunic, his arm still in a sling, but the skin had been repaired. The muscle was still developing and bone density was being increased. The blaster wound had done more damage then he thought. At least, when he had left the first time he had been on pain suppressers. Bone regrowth and muscle reconfiguration was an extremely painful process, and not even the strongest pain suppressers could keep all the pain from being felt. In the final stages, there was only mild discomfort, but Tem was far from that stage still. His own breath was hurting his shoulder! He stumbled around the MedCenter trying to find some pain suppressers to no avail. He did, however, find a box of stimulants. Pulling one out and jabbing it into his shoulder, he suddenly felt very light. He still could smell the bacta on his skin, though. Scrunching his nose, he stumbled through the door of the MedCenter to his personal quarters, where knew he would find a Refresher.

Nex had remained on Onal, while Xio and the others returned to Coruscant to present their report. Of course the politicians had no interest in staying behind, and were more then willing to load their own ship before take off. Nex laughed at the hurrying ambassadors as they tried to get away before more fighting broke out and they would be at a risk of being killed. Nex offered his services wherever possible, and now he was aboard the ship, _Sundant Down_, helping with simple repairs and handing tools to mechanics. Now he was heading for the bridge to see Commander Wenz to find out if there was anything more he could do. Along the way, he ran into a stimulated Tem Marr, who was stumbling around the corridor, babbling about the disgusting smell of bacta. "Whoa there, my young friend." Nex said, grabbing hold of the stumbling young man. "Where are you trying to get to?" He asked Tem, his eyes were glazed over and his mouth was moving but no words were coming out. Finally he spoke. "Admiral's quarters." He murmured then broke into a song. "Admiral's quarters? What do you plan on doing there?" Tem stopped singing abruptly and glared at Nex. "I'm the admiral, of course!" He shouted, his voice echoing through the corridor. Nex stumbled slightly as he guided the young man. "You are the admiral?" Nex asked. "Thas what I just said you stupid man." Tem glared again, then started laughing and broke into another song. Shaking his head, Nex continued to push the young man along the corridor until they reached the admiral's quarters. When the door hissed open, there was already a female Firrereo in there, the same one that Tem had been dancing with at the banquet. She ran up to them and grabbed a hold of Tem. "I'll take him from here." She said, pulling Tem's good arm across her shoulders and helping him along. "Whoa! Your hair has two colors! Is that healthy?" Tem leaned back and whispered to Nex. "I don't think that's healthy." He broke out into another song, and Nex cast a wary glance over the Firrereo. Perhaps there was something more then Nex had first thought of the two. The door hissed closed in front of him and he turned to head back to the bridge. He would have to tell Xio about this.

Over the three-day trip to Coruscant, Tem had regained the use of his left arm and was back at the helm of _Sundant Down_. The flight, for the most part, had been uneventful, except for Weezet causing trouble with the chefs in the cafeteria. Other then that, there was nothing else that went on. Tem had to tell stories to some of the newer officers about his past experiences and what had happened, all the while, the Jedi Nex Rartis was watching him. He felt very uncomfortable with the Jedi always watching him, but he didn't dare confront the Jedi. Tem was aware of their powers and he wanted to keep his secrets safely tucked away. On Onal, they had burned the bodies of the dead, along with the Hushars who had died in helping the politicians and troops get out with their lives. Tem had also offered to burn the Hushars with the Valcun troops because he wanted to reach an understanding with the Chief, Curdo Upiw. "Though our species differ in many ways, they are honored for their courage and bravery during a time where we needed protection. That is why we honor not only our own fallen troops, but the troops of the Hushars who had risked their lives to save our own." Tem had said when they had cremated the bodies. Tem had earned some respect from that, and Curdo had honored him with a feathered medallion. He then got a lecture for being an ignorant, young human for running into the collapsing structure, with one good arm. But in the end, Curdo was grateful for the Hushar bodies he had found and dragged to safety. Tem thought he left Onal on a good note, but he couldn't be sure with that Chief Upiw. Every night, Tem would retire to his quarters with Weezet, and he would sleep, but he was restless. His dreams still echoed the vision of the destroyed Facility on Anteid, but there was a new droid who had made himself known only through his dreams. A droid that would haunt Tem for the rest of his life.

On distant Ammuud, a hidden droid factory of Cardan Forces rested. "I am growing weary of these Pterosaur attacks." The electronic voice of D4-T9I grumbled as he shot down more Pterosaurs. "I am also growing weary of this, D4-T9I. Why doesn't Master Cuun simply annihilate the entire species?" F1-G2B grumbled in the same electronic tone as D4-T9I. They were Heavy Sentry War Droids, HSWD's for short, designed for warfare and defense. They had slender bodies, bent in several directions. Four legs, like that of an insect's, provided mobility and they boasted heavy weaponry. A heavy repeating constant blaster cannon, and a high-powered laser cutter. Not even the Jedi lightsaber could stop a blast from it. The thought made D4-T9I's circuits tingle every time his bios processed it. They were even more deadly then their brethren because they had the capability of folding down and rolling, while still maintaining their weaponry systems. They were nearly unstoppable in any fight, but only ten of them existed. D4-T9I was the first to ever be made, and that information also made his circuits tingle. "Do you wonder why Master Cuun stations us as door guards so frequently, F1-G2B?" D4-T9I asked thoughtfully, or as thoughtfully as his voice modulator would allow. "Most certainly not, D4-T9I. It is not our place to question Master Cuun. We follow our programming, and Master Cuun gives us our programming. Do you want him to deactivate us!" Urgency entered the voice of F1-G2B. "Silence!" D4-T9I hissed. "Long range sensors are picking up a group of droids and one human. It is Master Cuun, I am positive." D4-T9I quickly explained, but he kept his weapons ready just in case. Just as he had known, four droids and Master Cuun arrived over the hill, and D4-T9I and F1-G2B straightened, their servomotors whined as they changed position, a sign of needing maintenance. The droids escorting Master Cuun were human-like war droids. They were obsolete but cheap to make and they possessed as much intelligence as a repulsor sled. They didn't even have voice modulators! D4-T9I was proud to be a top-of-the-line model. They buzzed and beep as they talked to each other. "Wait here." Master Cuun ordered the droids who nodded their heads and resumed their speech. "You," Master Cuun said, pointing at D4-T9I, leaning forward to see his identification marker, "D4-T9I, come with me." D4-T9I obeyed and trailed after Master Cuun. _Bless my circuits!_ He thought excitedly. He, D4-T9I, was actually hand picked by Master Cuun and was walking alongside him! If droids could express happiness, D4-T9I would be falling apart from overusing the feeling. The working machines of the droid factory drowned out the _whirr-click_ sound as D4-T9I walked alongside the black robed Sith Master. "Do you know of the young man named Tem Marr?" Master Cuun asked, his voice was low and only D4-T9I's sensitive audio receptors could pick up. "My database has a vague file on him, yes." D4-T9I responded, opening all files related to 'Tem Marr'. "Do you want him destroyed, Master Cuun?" D4-T9I asked hopefully. "No. You and your brethren are not capable of stopping him." Cuun quickly responded, his voice rising slightly. "No, D4-T9I, I want you to assist your new brother in destroying Tem Marr." A vicious smile formed on the old man's features. D4-T9I's photoreceptors turned to look at the shut down droid hanging on the wall. Master Cuun made a subtle hand movement and the droid lowered to the ground, it's feet, which were similar to the talons of a hawk-bat, clunking on the ground. It resembled a thin skeleton; its head had one photoreceptor that was a cold blue. Large spines trailed down its back, and its skeletal fingers were long and the entire body was a dull gray. Three spikes reached back into the air, and one spine fell forward, covering part of the photoreceptor, giving it a menacing glare. At the joints where the elbows and knees were on a human rose spikes, as well. With another subtle hand motion, the droid came to life and the photoreceptor pulsed an eerie blue. "Rise, BD-C0R." Master Cuun beckoned to the droid. "Yes, my master." BD-C0R responded with a dark tone and lifted its head. The three spikes that had reached back had come forward across the face of BD-C0R, resembling a deadly helmet protecting the darkness of its skull. When it rose to its full height, it was truly a menacing sight. "Master Cuun, pardon me for questioning you, but how does this droid differ from myself?" D4-T9I asked cautiously. "You are good to question me, D4-T9I. You are better then your brethren, which is why I chose you to aid BD-C0R." Master Cuun said with the hint of laughter. "Master, may I inform the HSWD of my capabilities?" BD-C0R asked. "Certainly, go right ahead." Master Cuun nodded his approval. "I am BD-C0R, specialized in assassination protocols, my body is constructed of cortosis-weave durasteel and I am able to handle several hundred types of weapons, including the Jedi lightsaber." BD-C0R said proudly. D4-T9I was taken aback. "You can wield the Jedi weapon!" He cried best to his ability. BD-C0R nodded and Master Cuun handed the droid a black robe and lightsaber. BD-C0R raised the lightsaber to the lights overhead, and examined the lightsaber before igniting it, casting a red glow over their surroundings. There was a warble, like the sound of a sigh of pleasure under water, as he moved the thrumming lightsaber around slowly. Deactivating it, he connected it to his thin waist, and donned the black robes. Now, D4-T9I truly knew what fear was like, and it was in the form BD-C0R.

Xio watched as the ship _Sundant Down _landed upon a massive landing pad in Coruscant. The Valcuns had willingly offered to transport their men back to them, free of charge. Xio waited at the foot of the landing ramp, as several people disembarked. She embraced Nex in a hug when he came down the landing ramp. "I trust you enjoyed yourself on Onal." She said, smiling at the older Jedi. "I never knew ship components could be so confusing." Nex replied, a grin forming on his own face. "I am a failure to the Jedi." He said in mock despair. He turned solemn and regarded Xio thoughtfully. "I have some bad news, though." He began. Xio's heart raced. What could it be? "I hate to bring this news to you, but I believe Tem Marr is with another woman." He said slowly. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she shook her head. "No, it can't be true." Xio had to keep herself from shouting. "Who?" She asked desperately. "The Firrereo that was at the banquet." Nex said calmly. Xio could see Tem coming down the landing ramp, talking to a male and female Iridonian, and his eyes met hers. All conversation stopped and the female Iridonian took a few steps back. The male followed the lead of the female and watched as Xio walked right up to Tem, slapped him across the face, spun on her heel and then march back down the landing ramp. Tem was left standing there, clue less and rubbing his, now red, cheek. Xio didn't see this, though; she just kept on walking, letting the tears run freely down her cheeks.

Tem stood, rubbing his cheek, watching Xio retreat from the landing pad. When she had vanished from his view, his eyes fell towards the Jedi, Nex, and glared at him viciously. Tem reached down and pulled out his blaster, but Ruwn and Auwna were quick to restrain him. "Don't, Marr." Auwna whispered in his ear. "We don't need to be locked away on Kessel, hauling spice!" She hissed. Tem shoved the blaster back into its holster reluctantly, and watched as the Jedi followed after Xio. "When will we be leaving?" Ruwn asked. "As soon as I finish my business here." Tem murmured. "It's not killing that Jedi, what was his name? Nex? Is it?" Auwna said irritably. "No, it's something else." Tem mumbled and started forward. "Go and enjoy yourselves in Coruscant." He turned to face them again, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a credit slip and tossed it to Ruwn. "Not much of a vacation, but it's something." Tem said with a wink.

Xio and Nex were summoned to the Council Chambers and Xio kept hoping it wasn't another assignment. She wanted to stay in the Jedi Temple for a few days. When she and Nex entered the Council Chambers, she had to keep herself from glaring. Tem stood in front of the Council, with his arms crossed behind his back. He turned to face them and his own face struggled to keep under control. "Tem Marr wishes to learn the ways of the Force." Master Shin-Ni said. "We have chosen for you to come here, so we may find out which would be the better choice for giving this Padawan Learner to." She said. Xio and Nex stood on either side of Tem and waited for the Council to finish what they were doing. Xio could feel their minds prying at her mind, sorting through her memories and such. It felt as if her brain was being picked with a small dull needle. When the Council had finished, Xio tensed her muscles and then eased them again. "We have come to the conclusion that Jedi Knight Xio Mara will be the master to Tem Marr." Master Boh-Dun said. "You may now leave us, all of you." He said, and gestured to the door. Tem turned and walked out, while Xio and Nex bowed to the Council. When Xio got out, she tried not to let Tem stop her, but he had grabbed her wrist as she passed. "Xio, listen to me." He said sternly. "I don't know why you're so mad at me, but what ever it is, forget about it. I need you to be my master now. I need you to teach me the ways of the Force." Xio struggled against his grip. "Tem, let go!" She shouted. Nex came over and released Tem's grip from her wrist. "She said to let go." Nex said calmly. "You piece of Hutt slime." Tem snarled and threw a punch at Nex. Xio watched as Tem threw punches, but Nex blocked them all. When Tem pulled out his blaster, it started to get dangerous. Nex deflected the first few shots pulled off with his brilliant blue lightsaber, but couldn't stop Tem's kick to his stomach. He stumbled back, but pulled Tem's blaster away with the Force, calling it to his hand. Tem didn't give him a chance to fire, though. With one swift kick, he knocked the blaster away and leapt at Nex's throat. They both crashed to the ground, and Tem started to mercilessly beat upon the Jedi, knocking away his lightsaber. "Tem! Stop!" Tem stopped, but only because Nex had grabbed his wrists and was restraining him from throwing anymore punches. Tem looked at Xio pleadingly, and then his face twisted into a glare and he left, grabbing his blaster on his way. Xio went to Nex's side. "Are you all right?" Xio asked, helping the older Jedi into a sitting position. He had a bruise on his cheekbone and a few cuts on the opposite side of his face. "I'll be fine." Nex said, hissing softly as he touched the bruised cheekbone. "Come on, I'll take you down to the MedCenter." Xio said, and helped him to his feet.

Auwna and Ruwn walked back towards _Sundant_, the dock lights shining brightly, and the grinding of gears as the crane was being worked. "A little to the left! No the left! My left!" They could hear Tem shouting. They both exchanged confused looks and rushed towards the massive cruiser. Tem was moving his beaten Ore Hauler onto the landing pad. "What is he doing that for?" Auwna murmured to herself. "I'm about to find out." Ruwn said, and rushed over to Tem. Auwna followed and listened to Ruwn. "...Your ship on the landing pad?" Ruwn shouted to be heard over the crane. "Guys, let's go inside, we need to talk." Tem shouted back and gestured for them to follow. "Keep moving that ship! I want the crane put away by the time I get out!" Tem shouted to the crane operators. They marched all the way into the admiral's quarters. "Auwna, Ruwn, I'm staying on Coruscant. I'm passing the fleet on to you, Auwna. Take good care of my ship." Tem said. "I'm going to be trained to be a Jedi, for reasons of my own. The Valcuns need you, but I can't be there with you." He explained. He reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a comlink, and handed it to Ruwn. "If you guys _really_ need me, call me, and I'll come running." Tem smiled slightly, and turned away from them for a second. "Sorry, I seem to have something in my eye." He murmured. "Tem…" Auwna said softly and turned him around. He was crying softly and smiled affectionately at them. He wiped his eyes and saluted. "Commander, general." Tem said formally then surprised them both by stepping forward and embracing them in a hug. "I'm going to miss you." He said softly. Auwna found herself starting to cry and hugged Tem back. "I'm going to miss you too… admiral." She said, with a small laugh. "Can you take care of Weezet for me? And tell Shten for me." He kissed Auwna on the cheek, shook Ruwn's hand, that turned into backslapping. Hefting his bag over his shoulder, Tem left.

Xio found Tem walking down the landing ramp of his ship. "You're not trying to run away, are you?" She asked. All he did was glare at her. He walked right past her, before he spoke. "I'm going to be a Jedi. Once I learn enough, I'll leave." He snarled. The roar of _Sundant_ drowned out anything else he said, but Xio doubted he had said anymore. They walked in silence, Tem's face set in a scowl. "We'll start your training tomorrow." Xio said softly. The ion drives lighted the area around them, and Xio could see Tem's tear-stained cheeks, his red, puffy eyes and the look of brutal pain in his eyes.


End file.
